Consumers in Southeast Asia have taken to video somewhat differently from their global counterparts; so marketers need to tune into these requirements to better engage their target audience. Here, AOL's Asia and ANZ managing director Alex Khan (pictured below), writes about the 'sense of urgency' in how this region's mobile-driven consumers are accessing video and why advertisers need to do better.

Over the years, we've seen user behaviour change on the big screen. TV viewers have become impatient. They don't want to wait for the evening news and want to catch up on 24-hour news channels. Unwilling to wait a week for the next episode in a drama series, they also binge-watch on Netflix and other over-the-top content providers.

Now that mobile networks and devices are capable of reliably streaming video, the urgency has stepped up another notch; and nowhere more so than here in Asia.

A recent AOL study asked 1,089 consumers in key markets around the world about their digital behaviour. Southeast Asia had the highest usage of smartphones, but lagged on daily usage of other devices such as smart TV and games consoles. Yet, we love video.

It's not surprising then that we watch video on our smartphones more than anyone. Almost 72% of respondents in Southeast Asia watch video on our smartphones daily, compared to just 60% who do so on a computer. In comparison, only 28% in Southeast Asia watch video daily on a Smart TV.

Despite the increasing size and value from flat-screen TVs, we're gravitating to the smallest screen in our personal arsenal. Why is that?

Social media has a part to play – half of us discover videos through our social media feed, compared to just one-in-three viewers in the UK and Australia. And, once are aware of it, we want to be able to watch the content straight away. We start early, too. Almost a quarter of respondents in Southeast Asia watch online video daily before 9am; while 37% watch video at work. In Japan, only 11% can get away with that at the office!

Alex Khan, Asia & ANZ MD, AOL

This desire for instant gratification is also reflected in the type of content we consume. Overall, consumers in Southeast Asia spend less time watching videos, but that's mainly because we watch shorter pieces of content and have less interest in binge-viewing TV shows. In fact, we're half as likely as Americans to do that.

Many Southeast Asian viewers are looking for short-form content to better themselves, seeking content that offers educational value, or helps them keep up with current affairs. Many seem to enjoy sharing content through social channels, perhaps to showcase just how up-to-date they are with what's happening. In fact, more than a third say they watch videos on smartphones because it is easier to share with friends and family.

These trends mark a significant shift in media consumption and attitudes. It's something advertisers need to get a handle on quickly – not just in terms of planning, but also the creative executions that will connect with the new video consumer.

Right now, however, only a minority of advertisers are delivering content developed specifically with these considerations in mind. There needs to be an industry change as to what they use to engage with consumers and why. Localisation, relevancy, and user benefits need to be more prevalent in their creative offerings.

Advertisers do face challenges keeping up with shifts in media consumption and attitudes. Cost of production, for instance, can be a barrier. They also have to ensure their content ideas relay messages that are relevant and adapted to the targeted audience in each market across this region. What works in Thailand may not work in Korea, or another market.

To resolve these challenges, marketers should involve ad tech vendors earlier in their creative process in order to understand what works in each market, and why. This will help streamline the need for multiple creative versions and rewrites.

There also are technology gaps that still need to be plugged in the mobile video ad space. For instance, we still need the ability to track users cross-device anonymously, and seamlessly, to better support how a brand's story can be told. For example, if marketers know consumers have seen an ad on their mobile phone, a second ad or story can be pushed when the consumers next use a desktop, and a third, or final, ad can be delivered when they search for the brand again on the phone.

More marketers and agencies need to make the investment to access technology to help them track users across devices. It also would be helpful to have a single ad standard that enables mobile to be part of the wider ad ecosystem.

Advertisers can create 'viral marketing' content by creating the right content, which meets the aspirations of the local audience, and seeding their content with industry partners that can give them sociodemographic reporting.

As I mentioned, Asian consumers want to use the videos to better themselves. Whilst news about celebrities, entertainment, and user-generated content are still part of the mix, these aren't as dominant here as they are in other regions. And the fact that users want to share video they find enticing presents a huge opportunity for viral marketing. We all know personal recommendation is the best form of advertising; and consumers are ready to hand that over on a plate, if advertisers get the content right.

Marketers should start with the target audience, figure out what is it that they want to know, share, and then discuss. For instance, because bettering oneself is a key factor for many in this region, advertisers should produce content that supports this and build up a strong user base of 'brand ambassadors'.

This increased urgency in communications has been emerging for a while; mobile video has only heightened it. So, if it's not being shared from the start, it's probably not going to be viral. Whilst a few repeated views can help raise awareness and win the attention of a few seeded-viewers, if these early viewers aren't sharing, there's something wrong. It may be the message, content, context, user process, or any number of factors; but if it doesn't catch on quickly, it probably won't at all.

Brands need to be able to take consumers on a relevant and interesting journey, no matter the medium of interaction.

So, if there's one takeaway from the AOL research, it would be a sense of urgency in how smartphone fanatics in Southeast Asia are consuming video. They need to see it now, it needs to be quick, and they need to be able to share it easily. If campaigns don't satisfy the criteria, they'll miss out on one thing marketers are always looking for – a quick win.